By
Kevin Erdmann
Published 44 minutes ago
Since 2019, Kevin Erdmann has been one of Screen Rant's Senior Staff Writers, covering all kinds of Superhero and Star Wars media with Easter egg breakdowns, theory pieces, breaking news, and more. A huge Star Wars & MCU fan, Kevin also loves Batman (because he's Batman), but could talk for hours about why Nightwing is DC's greatest hero.
With 8 years of total experience covering entertainment and pop culture, Kevin has gotten the chance to interview top creatives and talent, and has also attended major media events like Disney's D23 convention.
Majoring in Cinema Studies with a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife, adorable dog, and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise.
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Star Wars is full of intense battles between good and evil, but one of the craziest confrontations happened off-screen and on the page. In 2017, Marvel revealed a showdown many fans still can’t believe is canon: R2-D2 going head-to-head with Darth Vader during the original trilogy.
Told in the pages of Star Wars #36 (2015) by Jason Aaron and Salvador Larroca, this single one-shot adventure remains one of Artoo’s most impressively chaotic moments, completely proving why the little astromech is among the Star Wars saga’s most fearless heroes.
R2-D2 Once Went Rogue During The Original Trilogy, Taking On The Empire Himself
In Star Wars #36 (set between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back), Artoo takes it upon himself to rescue C-3PO after the protocol droid was kidnapped by the Empire. Having convinced Chewbacca to upgrade his offensive systems, Artoo hopped into an X-Wing by himself to launch a solo mission few would dare attempt themselves.
Boarding an entire Imperial Star Destroyer, Artoo manages to outsmart multiple Stormtrooper squads by manipulating doors, alarms, and comm channels. He even tricks several troopers into firing on each other through smoke, clearing his path to save Threepio.
By all accounts, this canonical rescue mission was already absurdly heroic. However, things escalate even further when R2-D2’s jailbreak attracts the attention of none other than Darth Vader himself (who happened to be on the ISD as well).
Artoo Was So Ready To Kill Darth Vader (And The Sith Lord Was Impressed)
This absolutely wild issue ends with Darth Vader pursuing the droid duo in his TIE Advanced, completely unaware that the two droids were tied to his past life as Anakin Skywalker. This makes it even better when Vader takes note of this mysterious droid's impressive piloting skills, commenting that he must have learned well from "someone" (him!).
Remarkably, Artoo at one point spins his X-Wing around and starts opening fire on Darth Vader's TIE. As seen in the issue, it's confirmed the astromech fully intended to kill the Sith Lord, showing just how fearless R2-D2 truly is in the Star Wars franchise.
While it would have been fantastic to see Vader and Artoo trade even more shots with each other, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo arrive to provide some perfectly-timed backup, with The Millennium Falcon firing on Vader's TIE once again, allowing all the Rebels to jump to hyperspace and make the escape with Threepio successfully rescued.
Did this particular canon story push Star Wars into more bonkers "jump the shark" territory? Absolutely. Did it also deliver one of R2-D2’s greatest displays of bravery? 100%. Eight years later, this brief Star Wars tale remains a hidden gem, serving as definitive proof that Artoo has never been just a mere sidekick.
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R2-D2
Created By
George Lucas
Franchise
Star Wars
Race
Droid
Movies
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi, Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker
TV Shows
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels
Cast
Kenny Baker, Jimmy Vee
Many view R2-D2 as the true hero of Star Wars, because this redoubtable droid has played a key role in many galactic events. Artoo served as Anakin Skywalker's Astromech droid during the Clone Wars, and was taken in by the Organa family on Alderaan after the Empire was established. He proved himself a tremendous ally for the Rebel Alliance, and he was the one who found his way to Luke Skywalker with the Death Star plans. Artoo remains active even in the sequel era.
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Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
Created By
George Lucas
Franchise
Star Wars
Died
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return Of The Jedi
Race
Human
Movies
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
TV Shows
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, Ahsoka
Conceived by the will of the Force itself, Anakin Skywalker was the prophesied Chosen One, destined to bring the Force into balance. Anakin struggled to balance competing attachments to the Jedi Order and his wife Padmé Amidala, and ultimately fell to the dark side, becoming Darth Vader. For years he served as Palpatine's right hand man, but he was ultimately redeemed by the faith of his son, Luke Skywalker. Now a Force Ghost, Anakin continues to act as an agent of balance.
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Comics
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Star Wars
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R2-D2
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